Effects of phenol and dinitrophenol on acid and alkaline phosphatases in tissues of a fish (Notopterus notopterus)

Specimens of a fresh water fish,Notopterus notopterus were exposed to either phenol (12.56 mg/L), dinitrophenol (1.34 mg/L), or a mixture of the two (6.28 mg phenol + 0.67 mg dinitrophenol/L) for 72-hr. Surviving fish were sacrificed at 24-, 48-, and 72-hr after exposure, and tissue samples were taken for determining the acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities. Phenol, dinitrophenol, and mixtures of both, inhibited the activity of both enzymes in the kidney, heart, brain, gills, muscles, stomach, intestine, and pyloric caeca. Dinitrophenol exerted more inhibition than phenol. In general, mixtures of phenol and dinitrophenol are somewhat more effective than either compound alone in the inhibition of enzyme activities.